Automatic switch-thrower.



A132. MGNETL.

AUTDMATIG SWITCH THROWER.

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E. MGNEIL.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH THROWEE.

APPLICATIoN FILED JUNE 24, 1909.

Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

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invento v Av n u m w attocmu CII EDWARD MCNEIL, 0F EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH-THROWER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tune 24, 1909. Serial No. 504,059.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD MCNEIL, a citizen of the United States, residing at East St. Louis, in the county of St. Glair and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switch-Throwers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway appliances, and has particular reference to devices whereby a motorman or an engineer on a car or locomotive may, by depression of a device within his reach, automatically change a switch whenever desired.

Hereinafter the device will be described as relating to street car or trolley systems, but it will be understood that it is applicable to steam railways as well.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following detail description and the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section; Fig. 2 is a plan view; Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the broken line 3&3 of Fig. 2; Fig. l is a transverse section on the line -l--l of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a transverse detail on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 6 is a view of a modification hereinafter described.

Throughout the following description and on the several figures of the drawings similar parts are referred to by like reference characters.

Referring to the drawings a main line of rail track is shown at 10, and 11 indicates a movable switch point whereby the car is caused to take the side track 12. Located principally below the surface of the street and preferably between the rails of the track 10 are devices connected to the switch point 11 whereby the motorman may throw the switch point without leaving his platform. It will be understood, however, that the operating devices may be located outside of the rails without departing from the spirit of the invention. Said operating devices are located within a cavity 13 made below the surface of the street, and said cavity is provided with a cover 1-1 for the purpose of protecting the mechanism from damage or undesired disturbance.v

A shaft 15 is journaled for rotation in the walls of the cavity 13 and extends transversely of the same. A gear wheel 16 is rigidly connected to said shaft and is adapted to operate the shaft when engaged by an element carried by the car. Upon the shaft is rigidly mounted a double faced cam 17, the operative faces of which are upon opposite sides thereof and extend spirally in the same direction. The said cam is located between the fingers of a yoke 18 connected to a lever 19 mounted on a vertical pivot 19, preferably in the bottom of the cavity 13. The lever 19 operates therefore in a horizontal plane and the yoke fingers extend upwardly therefrom at a right angle. At the forward end the lever 19 has loose pivotal connection with a lever 20 pivoted on a stud 21 for oscillation in a vertical plane transverse to the line of movement to the car. The lever 19 is connected to the lever 2O at the lower end of the latter, and the upper end of the lever 20 is connected to a link 22, the latter being connected to the switch point 11 and is movable slidably by the lever 20 in a transverse direction with respect to the rails, to positively move the switch point in either direction. One of the cam surfaces of the cam 17 will engage with one of the yoke ngers and cause the switch point to be thrown in one direction, and the other cam surface, being arranged diametrically opposite the first cam surface, will engage the other yoke finger and cause the reverse movement of the switch point. It will thus vbe seen that the shaft 15 and gear wheel 16 are to be given substantially a one-half rotation for each operation of the switch point. There being no lost motion between the cam and yoke 18, the cam will constitute a positive lock preventing unauthorized throwing of the switch point when the shaft 15 is not being rotated. The cover 14; serves to effectively protect the mechanism in the cavity 13, but the wheel 16 projects therethrough into a longitudinal grooveJ 14', the rear end of which groove may be iared if found necessary to admit the element carried by the car.

The element above referred to whereby the motorman may cause rotation of the wheel 16 comprises preferably a rack 23, carried by the car substantially in the same vertical plane as the wheel 16 and lgroove 14, but normally at such an elevation as not to engage the wheel. The rack 23 may be carried and operated by any suitable means. As herein shown it is connected to an arm 24C pivoted at one end 24: to the car platform 25, and at its other end has connected thereto a plunger 26 extending upwardly through Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

the platform 25 within reach of the motormans foot. The form and arrangement of the arm 24 are such that the rack 23, when depressed, will engage and operate the wheel 16 throughout its entire length. The plunger 26 is connected to the end of a lever 27 operated upon by a spring 28, whereby the arm and rack will normally be held elevated.

In the modication of the invention shown in Fig. 6 the cam faces 17 are connected directly to the opposite sides of the gear wheel 1G. This form may be preferred in some cases and the operation thereof is substantially the same as that hereinbefore described.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

l. In .combination with a railway track and a movable switch point, a shaft mounted for rotation in one direction, a cam connected to said shaft and having oppositely disposed cam faces, a lever having a yoke at one end embracing said cam whereby the lever is oscillated, connections between said lever and said switch point, and means carried by a car for rotating said shaft and cam.

2. In an automatic switch thrower, the combination with the movable switch point, of a double faced cam mounted for rotation on an axis transverse to the track, a lever pivoted for oscillation in a horizontal plane below the track and having yoke fingers eX- tending upwardly from one end thereof and embracing said cam, connections between the opposite end of said lever and said switch point, said connections including a pivoted lever and a link, and means carried by the car for operating said cam.

3. In combination, a railway track, a movable switch point, means for operating the switch point including a rotary shaft and a gear wheel connected thereto, said gear wheel extending upwardly in a vertical plane, and means carried by the car for turning said gear wheel and shaft, said means comprising an arm pivoted at one end to the car platform, a plunger connected to the opposite end of the arm and extending upwardly therefrom, a lever pivoted to the platform and connected to the plunger, a spring operating on Said lever to hold the plunger and arm elevated, and a rack carried by said arm and adapted to be brought into engagement with said gear wheel.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDIVARD MCNEIL.

Vitnesses FRANK PRANGE, JOHN RoLLorF. 

